Council reviews edits to Pensacola Youth Soccer lease; staff to confirm past use of MOUs versus leases

Council members questioned changes to a proposed lease with Pensacola Youth Soccer Inc. for Hitzman Optimist Soccer Field (listed on the agenda as "Hitsman" in the packet). Councilman Moore said he had seen this item on a previous agenda and asked what changed since it was pulled.

Carrie Shanagan, interim parks and recreation director, said the only change was an added requirement that the organization provide three years of financials — a request from city staff intended to create a common template for PYSA and other youth-sports groups. "That is literally the only change to the document," Shanagan said. She said PYSA reviewed the language and was "in complete agreement" with the minor addition.

Council members also asked about the city's historical practice: whether youth-sports arrangements had been handled previously as memorandums of understanding (MOUs) or as land leases. Shanagan said the item had been reviewed by the Parks & Recreation board multiple times and that staff would research the historical practice and report back. A council member asked staff to provide that historical comparison and a clear explanation of why a land lease was used in this instance.

No vote was taken during the agenda conference; the lease item remains on the regular meeting docket. Staff told the council they will provide the requested cost and historical-agreement information before Thursday's meeting.